For Bell Hutley, artistic creativity is forged in the space between her memory and unbridled imagination.
The decorative artist's whimsical, nature-inspired work has earned her a devoted following, transforming everything from walls and murals to vintage furniture into dreamlike worlds populated by wildly snaking trees, forest floor motifs and fantastical flora and fauna.
Her latest collaboration with Annie Sloan and Vinterior sees a collection of vintage furniture revived and elevated through her signature hand-painted finishes, using Annie's trademark Chalk Paint.
Celebrating craftsmanship, colour and the beauty of restoration, the collection is a culmination of the ground the two artists share. The furniture was sourced by Bell from a favourite storage warehouse, before she used Annie's most popular paint formula to transform them into something new.
Indeed, it's a partnership that's evidently fitting. Bell is one of Annie's 'painters-in-residence': a global creative initiative that invites talented furniture artists, upcyclers and interior stylists to collaborate.
Annie has described Bell as 'a breath of fresh air mixed with a little magic dust'. When we catch up, Bell is unsurprisingly delighted by the description.
'I think most people's creative processes are magic,' she says. 'There is a formula to being creative, but you have to create space for spontaneous things to come in. You can't sit down and force it out – it should flow. For me that flow is intuitive. The more freedom you give yourself, the more magic you can create.'
This sense of wonder blossoms through everything she does. Growing up surrounded by marshland, streams and moss-covered woodland, Bell's enchanting childhood landscape continues to mould her artistic world.
'I grew up in this really wild place with marshy bogs, rivers and woodlands carpeted with moss,' she explains. 'All roads lead back to that place somehow. It's in my veins. Even if it's not consciously part of the inspiration, it always trickles into my work.'
Alongside nature came a steady stream of fairytales, courtesy of Bell's parents. Brothers Grimm stories, Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Victorian illustrations filled her imagination from an early age.
'I didn't really know where reality ended and the stories began,' she laughs. 'The books and the garden sort of merged together. My childhood really felt like a dream or a fairytale.'
It's easy to see those influences in her work today. While flowers, birds and trees frequently appear throughout her designs, Bell is increasingly drawn to creating her own fantastical interpretations of the natural world.
'I've been developing these otherworldly forms of flora and fauna,' she says. 'Nature is endlessly symbolic to me. A tree, a flower, a bird – they all carry meaning. But I love pushing things into a slightly surreal place.'
There's also a darker edge to her inspiration. She recalls being both fascinated and terrified by the unsettling imagery in childhood books – particularly the scene in Alice in Wonderland, where the Duchess' baby is transformed into a pig.
'I used to be so scared of some of those illustrations,' she says. 'The spiky, thorny flora and fauna, the gargoyle-like creatures, the slightly spooky atmosphere. But I think those things stay with you. They get under your skin – and they also ensure you're not too "wrapped in cotton wool".'
That blend of enchantment and unease feels particularly relevant to a collection centred around transformation. For Bell, working with vintage furniture isn't simply about decoration; it's a process of enhancement and evolution.
'I love the relationship between the old and the new,' she says. 'You can take something inspired by the past and add your own perspective to it. It's like helping something evolve.'
The collection features pieces inspired by everything from spring blossom on the streets near Bell's home, to the work of Austrian designer Josef Frank, whose joyful use of colour – teamed with Annie Sloan's own ethos – encouraged Bell to be especially bold.
'I really threw everything at that cabinet,' she says. 'I gave myself permission to have no limits. It's probably the happiest piece in the collection.'
Colour, unsurprisingly, was central to the project – and working alongside Annie Sloan has only deepened Bell's appreciation for fearless, vibrant decorating.
'Annie is incredibly brave with colour,' she says. 'People can be scared of it, but she shows you what's possible. She's like the high priestess of colour.'
When choosing palettes for her own work, instinct tends to take over.
'I never think about what's commercial,' she says. 'It's more about what I'm absorbing at the time. The blossom coffee table came together during spring in London, when all the trees were flowering. I wasn't consciously planning it, but those things naturally find their way into the work.'
If she has a signature colour, though, it's green...
'I can't escape green,' she says. 'Sap green. Forest green. I love Annie's Capability Green. There are so many shades of it in nature; every woodland, every garden is full of different greens. It sends my head spinning – I could paint them forever.'
For someone who often works with and depicts esoteric symbolism, it's perhaps unsurprising that Bell's currently creating her own tarot deck as part of her commissioning process. When asked which tarot card best represents the collection, she immediately turns to imagery of roots, earth and home.
'Maybe a special tree tarot card,' she muses. 'These pieces are for your home, and home is where you're rooted. They're all inspired by nature, and they're designed to become part of someone's story.'
Ultimately, that's what she hopes people take from the collection. Beyond the colour and craftsmanship, she wants these pieces to spark the imagination that's so integral to her signature style.
'I want them to transport people,' she says. 'I want them to create little pockets of joy and escapism in people's homes.'
In a world increasingly dominated by fast consumption, she also hopes the collection reminds people of the beauty found in restoration.
'These pieces have already had a life and now they're beginning another one,' she says. 'I love the idea that these are future heirlooms; that they can be passed down, repainted, repaired and loved for generations. You don't always have to buy new. Sometimes the most special things are the ones that already have a story.'
For Bell, that's where the real magic lies.
Quick fire with Bell Hutley
Sunrise or moonrise? A full moonrise in October.
Forest or meadow? Forest.
Coastline or bog? Bog. I'm a bog girl!
If this collection was a flower, what would it be? Opium poppy.
One word that captures the spirit of this collection? Joyous.
What would your younger self think of this collection? I think she would be really proud.
SHOP BELL HUTLEY X ANNIE SLOAN FOR VINTERIOR
Hand Painted Folk Art Chairs, Set of 2
Hand Painted Cabinet Inspired By Josef Frank
Hand Painted Chinoiserie Wardrobe With Parakeet
